HOW TO Display Dynamic data in boxes to right of forum

[MisawaPlayer]

OK, I am not sure if this belongs in HTML, or PHP, or here in the VBulletin forum, so I picked this one.

We have just upgraded to 4.0 (from 3.7) and are trying to do things "right" rather than using add-on hacks like we did before.

I have been given a product called SevinSkins RightColumn to work with.

Now I have found the style template where I can put html code to display in a box in the right column. The style template is called "ss_rightcolumn_contents"

It looks something like this:

<div class="<vb:if condition="THIS_SCRIPT == 'index'">ss_rightcolumn_index<vb:else />ss_rightcolumn_other</vb:if>">
<!-- DO not edit above this line -->

<!-- Block #1 -->
<div class="ss_column_head">
  <div style="padding-left: 12px; font-weight: bold;" >
    <!-- Title -->
    Top 5
    <!-- Title -->
  </div>
</div>

<div class="ss_column_body">
  <div style="padding: 4px;">
This holds information for block 1
  </div>
</div>
<!-- /Block #1 -->

<!-- Block #2 -->
<div class="ss_column_head">
  <div style="padding-left: 12px; font-weight: bold;" >
    <!-- Title -->
    Block Two
    <!-- Title -->
  </div>
</div>

<div class="ss_column_body">
  <div style="padding: 4px;">
    <!-- Contents -->
    Text <br />
    Text <br />
    Text <br />
    Text <br />
    <!-- Contents -->
  </div>
</div>
<!-- /Block #2 -->

<!-- Block #3 -->
<div class="ss_column_head">
  <div style="padding-left: 12px; font-weight: bold;" >
    <!-- Title -->
    Block 3
    <!-- Title -->
  </div>
</div>

<div class="ss_column_body">
  <div style="padding: 4px;">
    <!-- Contents -->
    Text <br />
    Text <br />
    Text <br />
    Text <br />
    <!-- Contents -->
  </div>
</div>
<!-- /Block #3 -->

<!-- DO not edit below this line -->
</div> 

My problem is that I want this information to be dynamic. In our previous version, I used a php module and wrote php code to pull and format data from our DB, which then called the template and translated the variables.

I do not know how to get this data into this template. I thought (since the template is basically HTML) that I could just insert php code into it. Obviously to everyone else probably, this can not be done.

So the question is, how do I display boxes on the side (right column) and load them with dynamic data? I assume (and hope) that I have to use php to do this, but how do I put it all together?

Thanks for your time. I hope I have given you enough information, but if not, I will be checking back frequently to answer anything I need to.

[MisawaPlayer]

OK, 21 views and not a hint of a response. Perhaps if I make the question simpler.

I am running version 4.0.

I want, in one column to the right, to be able to put boxes (in 3.7 they were vBa cmps modules) that will contain dynamic data, generated by php code querying my database and formatting the output.

Any ideas how I can do this? I do not know if vBa cmps is still available, but for whatever reason the site owner does not (and will not) have it.

For an example of the look of what I am doing, the current poll listed on the right side of the home page of tech6 is exactly what I want.

[webwizzy]

phew.. I am still far from upgrading to vb4. So I don't think I'd be able to help in this matter. Though if I am not wrong, if its just the poll thing you want on the right side, then why not use the Poll Widget included in the vBCMS. Simply get the right column added via the design interface and add the poll widget to it. No coding etc. is required here.

I do not know if vBa cmps is still available, but for whatever reason the site owner does not (and will not) have it.

It is available for vb4, though its in Beta as of now.

[MisawaPlayer]

Thanks, if you haven't gotten running with v4 yet, I understand.

Unfortunately, I used a poor example. I do not need widgets. I need custom data displayed in these "modules". vBa CMPS would work I am sure, since that is what we used in the earlier version, simply using a PHP module, but I was given the impression that it was not available.

I will push the site owner hard to get ahold of this product.

Thank you again for your time.

[Jaflosan]

You need to create a connection to the Access DB using OLE (for Windows IIS/ASP) or JDBC if using any other host non Windows Host.

[albertwilson]

I want, in one column to the right, to be able to put boxes (in 3.7 they were vBa cmps modules) that will contain dynamic data, generated by php code querying my database and formatting the output.